New NBA DRESS CODE!

[cyman3]

its like HIGH SCHOOL all over again... dress code! be aware or get in trouble!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2194537

Some players support it, some dont care (since they dress that way ANYWAY), and others absolutely hate it...

i actually support it. but heres why

- the dress code is only in effect @ work. Its not like they're tellin u how to dress outside of work. if ur injured- U gotta come to the arena clean, and leave the arena dressing nice. thats a great image to have. its no different from wearin a SUIT in the business world.

however, i think @ practices- they should be a little more lenient.

[pathway23]

I don't support it...Look at what Mark Cuban wears. Nothing wrong with casual dress. The Dress code is just an appeal to the older white people by Stern in my view.

[Plainview1981]

Quote:

---

I don't support it...Look at what Mark Cuban wears. Nothing wrong with casual dress. The Dress code is just an appeal to the older white people by Stern in my view.

---

I agree...

[Eeeee]

Check this out:

http://hoopsperspectives.blogspot.com/

[chillzatl]

please, what a cowardly cop out. So wearing a suit or simply dressing nice is the dress of "old white men". But wearing childish, oversized fube crap is the dress of "young black men"? Give me a break... what an ignorant thing to say.

ANd you can bet on it that if Mark Cuban puts himself in a position to be identified with his team, as he has in the past, he will be the first Non-player/coach to be made to adhear to that rule.

ANd old white people aren't what make the league what it is. It's young people and kids who buy the shoes and the jerseys and the posters. Having players sitting on the benches wearing nice clothes isn't going to sway the opinion of "old white men" one damned bit.

More than anything it's david stern saying "If these kids want to dress and act like thugs outside of the game, fine. But they aren't going to bring that image onto my courts".

I think it's perfectly fine for him to do that. Especially considering that 95% of the players ALREADY dressed that way.

[mudderfudder77]

There is nothing wrong with expecting your employees to maintain a certain decorum while they are employed and working. Nearly every business across the country has a dress code for their employees. Teams already had dress codes - this just standardizes them and allows for a league rule.

[shock]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I don't support it...Look at what Mark Cuban wears. Nothing wrong with casual dress. The Dress code is just an appeal to the older white people by Stern in my view.

---

I agree...

---

wow, i cant believe you guys are using MARK CUBAN as an excuse to not support the dress code. Mark Cuban dresses casual at the games, because all fans dress casual at games. You want to feel comfortable while sitting and standing, cheering for your team. When he is at those games he isnt at work. Just because he owns the team doesnt mean he's "at work" while watching them. But i guarantee you when he IS at work in a board room, pitching an idea of something new with HDTV, he IS dressed appropriately! He might be a goof ball, but dont think he would fly over to Tokyo to meet with Sony wearing jeans, flip flops and a jersey. good grief people.....

[pathway23]

Stern asked for the hip hop community to get involved in the NBA and now he is on his knees for the suburban white community, thats all it is. Sorry I feel that way and I think it is the truth! The Baby boomer whites are a huge market segment.

[chillzatl]

I think that opinion is an easy way out for people who would rather just say it's "black and white" rather than accept that it might actually have something to do with professionalism and rounding out the professional image that Stern wants his league to have.

If the majority of non-uniformed players in the league dressed like that, I might agree with your assumption. But that's not the case, most players actually DO dress nice when they're on the bench. Just like the coaches who sit next to them, they understand that they are highly paid professionals and they have enough respect for the game, its image and their own image to dress like the highly paid professionals they are supposed to be.

The league isn't taking steps to distance itself from hip-hop or entertainers. In fact that association is at its highest level EVER. If this was some tactic to appease "old white men" they would also take steps to completely distance themselves from all aspects of that "lifestyle". They wouldn't just put a rule in place that affects maybe MAYBE 5% of its work force.

The league isn't "on it's knees for the suburban white ecommunity" that's just a stupid, ignorant thing to say.

[chillzatl]

and now according to this link, it's nowhere near what everyone is making it out to be:

Sterns Comments

From what he says, some teams ALREADY had rules in place requiring players on the bench to dress in suits and ties. This had nothing to do with the league. It was a team rule... So I guess those teams were just placating to "old white men" and it had nothing to do with highly paid professional athletes projecting an image of professionalism...

Stern says the leagues rule is nowhere near that strict..

heh..

[Lascar78]

I agree all the way. While it might be a little unnecessary, this is nothing but positive for the league. To make it a black and white issue is to oversimplify by a vast amount. I'm pretty sure black guys like Jordan, Hakeem, Barkley etc... dressed nicely. Hell Jordan was the first one to introduce the hip-hop style long shorts on the court and he wore the pimpiest (lol) of suits.

Hell did you guys see Jason Williams with that "ho depot" shirt on?

There is nothing wrong with asking your multi-millionaire employees to dress in business casual while they are at work.

For what it's worth, here's Eddie Johnson's take, from hoopshype:

Quote:

---

Why is a dress code being enforced this season in the NBA? It's obviously all about image. The higher-ups are tired of the inmates running the asylum and they are trying to curtail the stampede with a variety of new rules. And I agree with this one in particular.

I remember when I came into the league and the dress code included a sport coat and nice slacks. It was a continuance of the discipline I encountered at the University of Illinois while playing under Lou Henson. I felt this gave me a sort of professionalism that was needed to validate my ascension to becoming a wealthy individual. I never once looked at it as a negative because I always equated dress with wealth.

Michael Jordan got the headlines in the 1980s with his variety of custom-made suits and impressive ties that he wore before every game. But at that time there were a number of players that set the fashion statement in the NBA. Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Willis, Scottie Pippen, Reggie Theus, Magic Johnson and even Charles Oakley with his bright suits set a standard among NBA players.

Looking good in suits was so popular that it became just as competitive as the games. I remember when I played with Reggie Theus in Kansas City and Sacramento. We would chastise him about the leather outfits he wore, but after a short while the whole team was shopping at North Beach Leather and dressing like him.

The most fun I had being competitive with dressing before games was when I played for the Charlotte Hornets during the 1993-94 season. That was by far

the most comical team I have ever played on in my life.

This club featured Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues. The fashion show before the game got so bad that you would have guys waiting in the parking lot before games so that they would be last in the locker room and everyone could see them when they walked in. Larry, Alonzo and Muggsy stood out because they wore a different outfit for all 82 games. It was not unusual for one of these players to have boxes of suits delivered into the locker room on a weekly basis. If you were their size, you reaped the benefits because they would only wear them once.

All the players had to stop in the middle of the dressing room and be critiqued when they arrived for a game. And, believe me, players would judge you all the way down to the underwear you were wearing. We had the most hilarious scenes in that locker room that I have ever witnessed on a basketball team.

The funny part about the whole thing was the fact that Muggsy Bogues, at 5-foot-2 inches, got his suits tailored-made. To this day, I still can't figure that one out – especially when he was the only player in the league that could shop for his suits at Wal-Mart and find his size.

My point is this... Regardless of how it came to be, dressing for success was the theme of most NBA players for a number of years up until the mid 90s.

Then came hip-hop.

But don't blame it all on hip-hop. Let's point the finger at the high school and college coaches that have relaxed dress codes and allowed players to come to games in sweats, warmups and uniforms. This has carried over to the NBA in a big way.

I think David Stern has no major problems with players wearing retro jerseys and high-priced blue jeans, but now some players travel and come to games with warmups, t-shirts and bandanas on their heads. The dressing in the NBA has gotten severely out of hand and I, for one, am glad that it is coming to an end.

The one thing I realized about wearing a suit is that you act like a businessman and when you dress too casual you carry yourself that way.

I have seen this game go through a lot of changes and the one constant that should never change is discipline. But, unfortunately, it has and now it will be interesting to see David Stern get it back on track.

Here is my opinion about what a dress code should be, because, believe me, some players will take advantage and look disgustingly bad trying it. I have seen it before.

Home games

Suit and tie (no exceptions). Why? Because being at home you're not inconveniencing the player. Also the hometown fans deserve to see their heroes in nothing but the best.

Away games

Suit and tie or sport coat and dress pants. Why? It shows unity on the road among hostile fans and when the game is over, you can go out to eat and enter a nice nightclub without breaking the dress code because you think you can.

Airplanes

Hip-hop it all flight long with retro jerseys, stylish jeans, bandanas, backward hats and fine jewelry. Why? Players need some breathing room and the charter planes do not expose the players to any fans or media. Players normally go from plane to bus, from bus to hotel. Let them be comfortable sometimes.

What's very important in all of this is the league should let the players police themselves after the first month with internal fines that will go to the charity of their choice and not into the hands of the league. Players know when someone is trying to skirt the rules. I played with guys like Mark Olberding, Rich Kelley and Kenny Dennard that would wear the same sport coat three times in one week. Kelley was seven feet tall and would wear a jacket for a six-foot person.

If the league allows that to happen, then players will argue that a custom jean outfit with nice shirt looks better than a cheap teammate who wears a wrinkled jacket and dress pants that are so short that if his shoes caught on fire his pants wouldn't know it.

Eddie Johnson is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

---

[PhillyDC]

i dont think race has anything to do with it.

i think an employer has the right to enforce a dress code when an employee is working.

dont really see who the 'target audience' of this rule is? maybe this will push younger fans to dress more 'business-like'. whatever. i can see why the players would be mad since this is being thrown on them suddenly. rule could have been implemented or discussed last season instead of 1 month before the season, but league has a right to tell them what to wear while at work, so whatever.

[pathway23]

Good article. That is exactly what this is about.

[Weez]

wonder how Camby would feel about that? Dont' think Eddie Johnson received a 'clothing stipend'.

which gets me onto the topic of the 'fines' levied against players and their seeming reaction to a $5000 fine...but that's something for another time.

[Plainview1981]

Quote:

---

please, what a cowardly cop out. So wearing a suit or simply dressing nice is the dress of "old white men". But wearing childish, oversized fube crap is the dress of "young black men"? Give me a break... what an ignorant thing to say.

ANd you can bet on it that if Mark Cuban puts himself in a position to be identified with his team, as he has in the past, he will be the first Non-player/coach to be made to adhear to that rule.

ANd old white people aren't what make the league what it is. It's young people and kids who buy the shoes and the jerseys and the posters. Having players sitting on the benches wearing nice clothes isn't going to sway the opinion of "old white men" one damned bit.

More than anything it's david stern saying "If these kids want to dress and act like thugs outside of the game, fine. But they aren't going to bring that image onto my courts".

I think it's perfectly fine for him to do that. Especially considering that 95% of the players ALREADY dressed that way.

---

Granted I haven't went to a game, but I don't think the

NBA is all that popular with the youth.

[Plainview1981]

There is nothing wrong with asking your multi-millionaire employees to dress in business casual while they are at work."

The NBA is entertainment. I used to complain about the

what the players wear and such... But how's Iverson going

to look all dressed up? Crazy.

[Hawkzzz21]

Charles Barkley has always supported the dress code. He makes fun of guys comming to games in leisure wear. I have always disagreed with him. I think it makes a millionaire look good, to dress casual. I think wearing suits and such, is a way of bragging.

As for comparing this to other businesses. It's not a good arguement. After all, this is basketball! Why don't they wear suits when they warm up? Because it's better to have the flexibility and loose clothing to get warmed up. I wouldn't mind seeing a few coaches out there, with jogging pants, and a T-Shirt on. They do a lot of movements on the sideline, and wearing suits have to feel uncomfortable for their activity levels.

Who wants to watch the bottom line on ESPN, and see AI fined 5 grand for unappropriate attire in the Nov. 8th game at Atlanta.

I think the big problem is players wearing things of controversy. Like a rapper that has harsh lyrics in his songs. Instead of taking each case on an individual basis, and to avoid the racism issue. They just ban all the casual wear.

I think we all can logically think of how a Snoopy Shirt would be allowed, while a Snopp Doggy Dog Shirt would not. If a player did wear a shirt that wasn't appropriate, I think that team could be warned by the NBA, and then the team can privately tell that player that it's not appropriate.

If you think this is unfair, just check the new hockey rules. They have a instigator penalty now. If that rule gets called. The player faces a fine, and 1 game suspension. THEN THE COACH IS FINED 10,000!!! Imagine Mike Woodson getting fined for Josh Smith elbowing someone on purpose.

Now, is this a small way of the league inching their way in, and getting the headphones banned? So many athletes now, listen to headphones before a game. You see them entering the arena, or getting off a bus with headphones in. This could be considered a dress code misconduct. The headphones no doubt show a form of dress.

[chillzatl]

If you haven't been to games, you can't comment. simple as that..

[chillzatl]

The rule doesn't require them to wear suits. Business casual, ie. slacks, nice shirt, end of story. That's not much to ask...

Quote:

---

Why don't they wear suits when they warm up?

---

Are you kidding me? Are you honestly asking that question...Maybe because...they're warming up to play the game.. a horribly inept comparison..

If you've ever worn a nice suit, or nice business casual clothes, you'd know that they are extremely comfortable.

again, you draw knee jerk, childish comparisons. The rules have NOTHING to do with players wearing casual wear while sitting at their lockers before games. It has to do with what they wear when they are on the bench (not dressed to play) or at press conferences after games. Basically, in times when they are representing their teams and the league in an official capacity...

[mudderfudder77]

Quote:

---

Now, is this a small way of the league inching their way in, and getting the headphones banned? So many athletes now, listen to headphones before a game. You see them entering the arena, or getting off a bus with headphones in. This could be considered a dress code misconduct. The headphones no doubt show a form of dress.

---

Headphones are banned, except for in the lockerroom. It's easy, if the players don't want it they can play somewhere else. If they play the in the NBA they are representing the NBA and their team. As such the league and team, their employers, have the right to set rules of conduct. I don't know how many here have jobs, but in mine I can be fired for conduct outside of work because I represent my company at all times. Not just when I am in the office. You don't like what your employer is doing, you go work somewhere else. Salaries in Europe are still more than most people in AMerica will ever make. Not bad if you just have a high school diploma.